OTTAWA - A suggested dark horse candidate in the still-undeclared race for Speaker of the House of Commons will not make a bid for the posting.

"I'm not going to be running for Speaker because I want to make a difference in other ways," says Michael Chong.

The Conservative MP for Wellington-Halton Hills has made repeated efforts to reform question period and make the Commons a more civil place.

Chong has lobbied to allow the Speaker to impose tougher discipline, require ministers to answer questions directed to them, and give half the questions each day to backbench MPs who normally don't get much of the limelight.

Those efforts died when the opposition voted non-confidence in the minority Conservative government.

"Something as simple as the changes I proposed last year for question period is something that the Speaker cannot put forward," said Chong. "The speaker has to be neutral on policy issues and on a number of issues - electoral, economic, and environmental issues - these issues are too important for me to set aside."

That leaves the race with Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer considered the favourite to win election as speaker when Parliament resumes sitting.

Other Tories are also considered contenders, including Barry Devolin, Merv Tweed, and Lee Richardson.

Chong was a favourite among some in the Opposition for his reformation attempts.

"I think he's shown a determination to clean up the decorum problems we've got in the House more than any of those other candidates have," said NDP MP Joe Comartin from Windsor, Ont.